A vehicle system may include one or more powered vehicles that may be mechanically linked (directly or indirectly) to non-powered vehicles. The powered and non-powered vehicles of the vehicle system may travel as a group along a designated route. In cases where the vehicle system includes multiple powered vehicles, the vehicle system may coordinate operations of the powered vehicles to move the vehicle system. For example, a rail vehicle system may include a powered unit consist that has one or more powered units mechanically coupled to one or more non-powered rail cars. Vehicles in a consist may include a lead powered unit and one or more remote powered units and/or trail powered units. (Remote powered units are those that are spaced apart from the lead powered unit by one or more non-powered vehicles. Trail powered units are those that are in the same powered unit consist as the lead powered unit, and thereby not spaced apart from the lead powered unit by one or more non-powered rail vehicles, but that are subordinate to control by the lead powered unit.) The lead vehicle may control operation of one or more remote vehicles.
Various control actions for all or a portion of a mission or trip may be planned in advance. The control actions may be planned in advance using expected values of parameters, for example values expected based on train makeup and/or locomotive type. However, factors beyond the control and/or knowledge of a planner may result in characteristics of the vehicle system, such as mass, horsepower, or braking capability, among others, being different than the expected values. The difference between the expected and actual values may cause a calculated plan to be inaccurate and/or inefficient due to being calculated using incorrect values. Such inaccuracy may cause customer dissatisfaction and potential losses in fuel savings.